26 The Huntrng JVasps 



nutritive properties. But this must be gener- 

 ally the case with the Weevils also : their 

 nourishing qualities must be identical ; and 

 then this surprising choice becomes only a 

 question of size and consequently of economy 

 of labour and time. Our Cerceris, the mammoth 

 of her race, tackles the Ophthalmic Cleonus by 

 preference because this Weevil is the largest in 

 our district and perhaps also the commonest. 

 But, if her favourite prey should fail, she must 

 fall back upon other species, even though they 

 be smaller, as is proved by the two exceptions 

 stated. 



Besides, she is far from being the only one 

 to go hunting at the expense of the snouted 

 clan, the Weevils. Many other Cerceres, accord- 

 ing to their size, their strength and the accidents 

 of the chase, capture Weevils varying infinitely 

 in genus, species, shape, and dimensions. It 

 has long been known that Cerceris arenaria feeds 

 her grubs on similar provisions. I myself have 

 encountered in her lairs Sitona lineata, S. tibialis, 

 Cneorinus hispidus, Brachyderes gracilis, Geone- 

 mus flahellipes and Otiorhynchus maleficus. Cer- 

 ceris aurita is known to make her booty of Otio- 

 rhyncus raucus and Phynotomus punctatus. The 

 larder of Cerceris Ferreri has shown me the 

 following : Phynotomus murinus, P. punctatus, 

 Sitona lineata, Cneorinus hispidus, Rhynchites 



